updated 08:10 pm EDT, Fri June 18, 2010

Google lets devs experiment with WebM format

Google, the new owners of the WebM Project, has released an experimental branch to the VP8 source tree. This should allow for the improvement in performance and quality in the VP8 open video compression codec while keeping it stable. The unstable branch will allow third-party, open-source developers to suggest changes to VP8 but not freeze the entire format for changes.

When the experimental branch outperforms the stable branch, Google will build a new version of the codec. Internally, WebM teams are seeking out ways to develop new techniques, said Jim Bankoski, the Codec Engineering Manager at Google, on his blog. Interested developers can visit the repository layout page for the codec.